an historical mystery-第5章

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unknown　person　sits　down　at　the　same　table　with　them；　whose　manners；
look；　voice；　and　method　of　shuffling　the　cards；　all；　to　their　fancy；
foretell　defeat。　The　instant　Michu　looked　at　the　young　man　he　felt　an
inward　and　prophetic　collapse。　He　was　struck　by　a　fatal　presentiment；
he　had　a　sudden　confused　foreboding　of　the　scaffold。　A　voice　told　him
that　that　dandy　would　destroy　him；　although　there　was　nothing　whatever
in　common　between　them。　For　this　reason　his　answer　was　rude；　he　was
and　he　wished　to　be　forbidding。

〃Don't　you　belong　to　the　Councillor　of　State；　Malin？〃　said　the　younger
man。

〃I　am　my　own　master；〃　answered　Malin。

〃Mesdames；〃　said　the　young　man；　assuming　a　most　polite　air；　〃are　we
not　at　Gondreville？　We　are　expected　there　by　Monsieur　Malin。〃

〃There's　the　park；〃　said　Michu；　pointing　to　the　open　gate。

〃Why　are　you　hiding　that　gun；　my　fine　girl？〃　said　the　elder；　catching
sight　of　the　carbine　as　he　passed　through　the　gate。

〃You　never　let　a　chance　escape　you；　even　in　the　country！〃　cried　his
companion。

They　both　turned　back　with　a　sense　of　distrust　which　the　bailiff
understood　at　once　in　spite　of　their　impassible　faces。　Marthe　let　them
look　at　the　gun；　to　the　tune　of　Couraut's　bark；　she　was　so　convinced
that　her　husband　was　meditating　some　evil　deed　that　she　was　thankful
for　the　curiosity　of　the　strangers。

Michu　flung　a　look　at　his　wife　which　made　her　tremble；　he　took　the　gun
and　began　to　load　it；　accepting　quietly　the　fatal　ill…luck　of　this
encounter　and　the　discovery　of　the　weapon。　He　seemed　no　longer　to　care
for　life；　and　his　wife　fathomed　his　inward　feeling。

〃So　you　have　wolves　in　these　parts？〃　said　the　young　man；　watching　him。

〃There　are　always　wolves　where　there　are　sheep。　You　are　in　Champagne；
and　there's　a　forest；　we　have　wild…boars；　large　and　small　game　both；　a
little　of　everything；〃　replied　Michu；　in　a　truculent　manner。

〃I'll　bet；　Corentin；〃　said　the　elder　of　the　two　men；　after　exchanging
a　glance　with　his　companion；　〃that　this　is　my　friend　Michu〃

〃We　never　kept　pigs　together　that　I　know　of；〃　said　the　bailiff。

〃No；　but　we　both　presided　over　Jacobins；　citizen；〃　replied　the　old
cynic；〃you　at　Arcis；　I　elsewhere。　I　see　you've　kept　your　Carmagnole
civility；　but　it's　no　longer　in　fashion；　my　good　fellow。〃

〃The　park　strikes　me　as　rather　large；　we　might　lose　our　way。　If　you
are　really　the　bailiff　show　us　the　path　to　the　chateau；〃　said
Corentin；　in　a　peremptory　tone。

Michu　whistled　to　his　son　and　continued　to　load　his　gun。　Corentin
looked　at　Marthe　with　indifference；　while　his　companion　seemed　charmed
by　her；　but　the　young　man　noticed　the　signs　of　her　inward　distress；
which　escaped　the　old　libertine；　who　had；　however；　noticed　and　feared
the　gun。　The　natures　of　the　two　men　were　disclosed　in　this　trifling
yet　important　circumstance。

〃I've　an　appointment　the　other　side　of　the　forest；〃　said　the　bailiff。
〃I　can't　go　with　you；　but　my　son　here　will　take　you　to　the　chateau。
How　did　you　get　to　Gondreville？　did　you　come　by　Cinq…Cygne？〃

〃We　had；　like　yourself；　business　in　the　forest；〃　said　Corentin；
without　apparent　sarcasm。

〃Francois；〃　cried　Michu；　〃take　these　gentlemen　to　the　chateau　by　the
wood　path；　so　that　no　one　sees　them；　they　don't　follow　the　beaten
tracks。　Come　here；〃　he　added；　as　the　strangers　turned　to　walk　away；
talking　together　as　they　did　so　in　a　low　voice。　Michu　caught　the　boy
in　his　arms；　and　kissed　him　almost　solemnly　with　an　expression　which
confirmed　his　wife's　fears；　cold　chills　ran　down　her　back；　she　glanced
at　her　mother　with　haggard　eyes；　for　she　could　not　weep。

〃Go；〃　said　Michu；　and　he　watched　the　boy　until　he　was　entirely　out　of
sight。　Couraut　was　barking　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　in　the
direction　of　Grouage。　〃Oh；　that's　Violette；〃　remarked　Michu。　〃This　is
the　third　time　that　old　fellow　has　passed　here　to…day。　What's　in　the
wind？　Hush；　Couraut！〃

A　few　moments　later　the　trot　of　a　pony　was　heard　approaching。



CHAPTER　II

A　CRIME　RELINQUISHED

Violette；　mounted　on　one　of　those　little　nags　which　the　farmers　in　the
neighborhood　of　Paris　use　so　much；　soon　appeared；　wearing　a　round　hat
with　a　broad　brim；　beneath　which　his　wood…colored　face；　deeply
wrinkled；　appeared　in　shadow。　His　gray　eyes；　mischievous　and　lively；
concealed　in　a　measure　the　treachery　of　his　nature。　His　skinny　legs；
covered　with　gaiters　of　white　linen　which　came　to　the　knee；　hung
rather　than　rested　in　the　stirrups；　seemingly　held　in　place　by　the
weight　of　his　hob…nailed　shoes。　Above　his　jacket　of　blue　cloth　he　wore
a　cloak　of　some　coarse　woollen　stuff　woven　in　black　and　white　stripes。
His　gray　hair　fell　in　curls　behind　his　ears。　This　dress；　the　gray
horse　with　its　short　legs；　the　manner　in　which　Violette　sat　him；
stomach　projecting　and　shoulders　thrown　back；　the　big　chapped　hands
which　held　the　shabby　bridle；　all　depicted　him　plainly　as　the
grasping；　ambitious　peasant　who　desires　to　own　land　and　buys　it　at　any
price。　His　mouth；　with　its　bluish　lips　parted　as　if　a　surgeon　had
pried　them　open　with　a　scalpel；　and　the　innumerable　wrinkles　of　his
face　and　forehead　hindered　the　play　of　features　which　were　expressive
only　in　their　outlines。　Those　hard；　fixed　lines　seemed　menacing；　in
spite　of　the　humility　which　country…folks　assume　and　beneath　which
they　conceal　their　emotions　and　schemes；　as　savages　and　Easterns　hide
theirs　behind　an　imperturbable　gravity。　First　a　mere　laborer；　then　the
farmer　of　Grouage　through　a　long　course　of　persistent　ill…doing；　he
continued　his　evil　practices　after　conquering　a　position　which
surpassed　his　early　hopes。　He　wished　harm　to　all　men　and　wished　it
vehemently。　When　he　could　assist　in　doing　harm　he　did　it　eagerly。　He
was　openly　envious；　but；　no　matter　how　malignant　he　might　be；　he　kept
within　the　limits　of　the　law；neither　beyond　it　nor　behind　it；　like　a
parliamentary　opposition。　He　believed　his　prosperity　depended　on　the
ruin　of　others；　and　that　whoever　was　above　him　was　an　enemy　against
whom　all　weapons　were　good。　A　character　like　this　is　very　common　among
the　peasantry。

Violette's　present　business　was　to　obtain　from　Malin　an　extension　of
the　lease　of　his　farm；　which　had　only　six　years　longer　to　run。　Jealous
of　the　bailiff's　means；　he　watched　him　narrowly。　The　neighbors
reproached　him　for　his　intimacy　with　〃Judas〃；　but　the　sly　old　farmer；
wishing　to　obtain　a　twelve　years'　lease；　was　really　lying　in　wait　for
an　opportunity　to　serve　either　the　government　or　Malin；　who　distrusted
Michu。　Violette；　by　the　help　of　the　game…keeper　of　Gondreville　and
others　belonging　to　the　estate；　kept　Malin　informed　of　all　Michu's
actions。　Malin　had　endeavored；　fruitlessly；　to　win　over　Marianne；　the
Michus'　servant…woman；　but　Violette　and　his　satellites　heard
everything　from　Gaucher；a　lad　on　whose　fidelity　Michu　relied；　but
who　betrayed　him　for　cast…off　clothing；　waistcoats；　buckles；　cotton
socks　and　sugar…plums。　The　boy　had　no　suspicion　of　the　importance　of
his　gossip。　Violette　in　his　reports　blackened　all　Michu's　actions　and
gave　them　a　criminal　aspect　by　absurd　suggestions；unknown；　of
course；　to　the　bailiff；　who　was　aware；　however；　of　the　base　part
played　by　the　farmer；　and　took　delight　in　mystifying　him。

〃You　must　have　a　deal　of　business　at　Bellache　to　be　here　again；〃　said
Michu。

〃Again！　is　that　meant　as　a　reproach；　Monsieur　Michu？Hey！　I　did　not
know　you　had　that　gun。　You　are　not　going　to　whistle　for　the　sparrows
on　that　pipe；　I　suppose〃

〃It　grew　in　a　field　of　mine　which　bears　guns；〃　replied　Michu。　〃Look！
this　is　how　I　sow　them。〃

The　bailiff　took　aim　at　a　viper　thirty　feet　away　and　cut　it　in　two。

〃Have　you　got　that　bandit's　weapon　to　protect　your　master？〃　said
Violette。　〃Perhaps　he　gave　it　to　you。〃

〃He　came　from　Paris　expressly　to　bring　it　to　me；〃　replied　Michu。

〃People　are　talking　all　round　the　neighborhood　of　this　journey　of　his；
some　say　he　is　in　disgrace　and　has　to　retire　from　office；　others　that
he　wants　to　see　things　for　himself　down　here。　But　anyway；　why　does　he
come；　like　the　First　Consul；　without　giving　warning？　Did　you　know　he
was　coming？〃

〃I　am　not　on　such　terms　with　him　as　to　be　in　his　confidence。〃

〃Then　you　have　not　seen　him？〃

〃I　did